Category Archives: Announcements, Extras & Millinery News

This Week’s Extras

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Infanta Elena walking her dog in a deep plum felt trilby with slim leather hatbands and side feather trim
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Princess Sofia in a black knit hat for a visit to a grocery store with set hours for elderly and immuno-compromised customers during the COVID-19 crisis.
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Våra äldre är i riskgrupp och det görs många viktiga insatser för att skydda dem från att smittas av Covid-19. Imorse var vi på ICA Kvantum i Värtahamnen för att på behörigt avstånd hälsa på de äldre som har tillgång till butiken mellan kl. 07.00-08.00, innan alla andra kunder kommer dit. Vi pratade även med Mathias och Henrik som är ansvariga för denna ICA-butik om vikten att vara flexibel och hitta lösningar i en oviss tid som denna. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Du som anhörig till någon i riskgrupp är ovärderlig! Några viktiga insatser är att se till att viktig information förmedlas, att hjälpa till med handling av matvaror och annat och att se till att de inte hamnar i social isolering genom att exempelvis ringa videosamtal.

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The Duchess of York celebrated Princess Eugenie’s 30th birthday on Monrday by sharing this wonderful snap taken on her wedding day. That tiara is so fantastic on her!
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
White hugger covered in exquisite guipure lace by American brand Suzanne Couture Millinery
From Australian milliner Jill Humphries, a lipstick read teardrop leather percher with removable vine of roses
Royal blue straw button percher with grey stripe bound ruffle trim by British milliner Camilla Rose
Pink and purple tartan boater with layered hatbands and rose trim by Australian brand Christie Millinery
Black swirled crown straw saucer with windowpane brim and lace applique from French brand Mei Mei Chapeaux
Fuchsia silk orchid headpiece with curling feathers and gold trim by British milliner Emma Linney
Exquisite handmade lace full-face covering cloche by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Charcoal and ecru straw swirled brim design by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Love the orange and pink ombre brim on this straw picture hat from British milliner Sarah Cant
And from British milliner Vivien Sheriff, this navy disc headpiece with beaded lace applique trim and curling quills

How time flies! Princess Aiko graduated from high school this week and will begin her university studies next month.
Lovely photos shared by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last weekend for Mother’s Day. The card Prince George made for his mum is awfully adorable.
We close this week with standing ovations for frontline workers- thanks I’m sure we all heartily join in


Photos from social media as indicated

Guest Post: Wind and Hats

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It is lovely to welcome New Zealand reader Sandra to the blog today for an amusing guest post!

We expect the Royals to appear sartorially perfect and perfectly groomed on official business and they rarely disappoint. But occasionally nature throws a curve ball. Here is a light-hearted selection of a few of those moments when simply nothing can be done. 

Miss Mary Donaldson, as she was then, watches as her hat is whisked away. She was visiting Danish Parliament in Copenhagen on May 13, 2004, the day before her marriage to Crown Prince Frederick. An alert official retrieved the hat for her, and all was well.

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Queen Elizabeth’s hats are generally well secured by hat pins – after 66 years as a monarch she knows how to prepare for anything. But sometimes circumstances mean little can be done, except to hold on for dear life! Here she and and her neighbours catch the downdraft from a helicopter at Winnipeg, Canada in 1970.

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During her official welcome to Oman in 1979, Queen Elizabeth was forced to grab at her hat and clasp it to her head as a strong wind played havoc. Sandhurst-educated Sultan Qaboos (ruler from 1970 to his death on January 10, 2020) remained firmly at attention.

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She’s holding her hat in place with one hand and showing interest to her hosts with the other, but now her skirt is billowing wildly! What is one to do? Queen Elizabeth viewing the Atlantic Ocean from Signal Hill in St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada in 1997. 

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The caption says Queen Elizabeth, pictured in London in 1999, is “holding on to her hat” while waiting for a visiting Chinese delegation to arrive.  Unfortunately, there are no more photos to indicate that wind was the culprit this time. For me, this simple hat is a unique addition to her millinery wardrobe.

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Just last year at Buckingham Palace Queen Elizabeth showed her mastery of the elements (and her faith in hat pins) as she continues to chat while the Duchess of Cornwall and American First Lady Melania Trump hold on to their hats.

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We’ve seen many photos of Queen Maxima’s weapons-grade hatpins but as The Netherlands is a flat country with a long coastline, it’s windy. Here she clutches her hat during last year’s King’s Day (April 27) in Amersfoort.

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King’s Day must coincide with the strong winds of the spring equinox. This photo is from 2014 in Zwolle.

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A windy departure from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in October, 2015.

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An unscheduled ‘Marilyn moment’ for Queen Maxima in 2014 at the anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy, France. 

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Crown Princess Mette Marit keeps smiling, despite being caught in a strong gust of wind at the Copenhagen christening of Prince Christian of Denmark in 2006. She continued inside and became one of the child’s godparents!

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What is it about christenings? The Duchess of Cornwall cops a blast of wind at the Norfolk baptism of Princess Charlotte in 2015, in what looked like a calm-day wind-wise.

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Princess Eugenie’s Windsor Castle wedding in October 2018 (another good month for equinox winds) saw many guests, royal and otherwise, clutching their chapeaux, including Zara Tindall and her sister-in-law Autumn Phillips. Lady Sarah Chatto had a firm grip of her hat and a ladylike hand holding her skirt down and while the Duchess of Cambridge held on to her cocktail hat.

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It’s raining, it’s pouring (and there’s a bit of wind too) – and our Royals pictured here, from left, Queen Sonja, Empress Michiko and Crown Princess Mette Marit can only laugh during the official welcome for the Japanese Emperor and Empress in Oslo in May, 2005.

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I look forward to seeing other fun photos unearthed by the clever people who read Royal Hats!

I’m sure there are some more amusing wind-lifted royal hats to share! Thanks, Sandra!

This Week’s Extras

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Yesterday, Empress Masako was photographed arriving for the Spring Equinox Festival at the Imperial Palace in an ecru silk covered hat with upturned Breton brim. This video shows Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Mako, Princess Kako and Princess Hisako arriving in cream silk bumper hats and Princess Tsuguko in a her cloche with short cartwheel brim.
King Harald and Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit shared greetings and words of encouragement along with photos of how they are keeping occupied in isolation


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God fredag❤️. Her kommer noen bilder herfra i denne spesielle tiden. Hos oss er det hjemmekontor ,telefonmøter, lekser, turgåing, bading og rutiner som holder moralen oppe. Haakon, barna og jeg sender mange gode tanker til alle som på hver sine hvis holder hjulene i gang om dagen. En ekstra hilsen til dere som føler dere mer ensomme nå. Og til alle som har blitt syke: Måtte dagene bli lettere snart. Min måte å finne ro ser du hvis du blar videre❤️ Sender @askerhusflidslag og Heidi en stor takk for lånet av hjemmevev! Hvis noen trenger boktips så kan jeg anbefale å ta opp igjen John Irving. Spesielt «Last night in twisted river» Irving skriver så levende historier at man kan unne seg å være midt i et annet univers en stund, og det er vel noe vi alle trenger nå.... En liten pause. Kommer med flere boktips etterhvert. Sender en klem her fra vevstua... ❤️🇳🇴❤️#sammenholdervimoralenoppe

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Several of you have commented on this re-post of Queen Margrethe making a dachshund hat. It’s certainly worth another watch!
I have no idea when this photo was taken but it shows one of the wives of  Swazi King Mswati III in a fun, deep red headpiece that I don’t remember seeing before.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

 Blue straw fedora with saucy brim with silver lace appliqué with hand embroidered sequins by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Black beret percher rimmed in straw blooms and a straw bow by New York-based brand Suzanne Couture Millinery
Another bold and wonderfully vibrant sinamay headpiece by American milliner Amy Fowler
Lovely drape on this vibrant blue felt beret percher’s double bow by Australian milliner Neil Grigg
Exaggerated and striking white boater hat with tall crown and cutout brim by Korean milliner Q Park
Blue ombre bandeau headpiece of overlapping straw leaves by British milliner Bee Smith
Lovely mulberry felt fedora with extended brim and fantastic pheasant feathers by Kenya-based miliner Chloe Mitchell
Black and white straw saucer with flying rim trimmed with lace by American milliner Tiffany Arey
Mysteriously beautiful veiled black lace mask headpiece by British milliner Jane Taylor
Tan felt fedora with fascinating textured brim by Australian milliner Felicity Northeast
Two-toned blue sinamay percher with sweeping shape by New York-based milliner Sally Caswell
Futuristic black straw saucer brimmed design with orbiting planets by British brand Miss Ginny Millinery
Two blush leather halo bandeau headpieces with statement flowers here and here by Australian milliner Cessiah Alice
For our dear gents, this sleek black fedora with silk paisley hatband from Danish brand Hornskov København

And from British milliner Anne Tomlin, this amazing percher made from straw braid sewn with wire and formed into a caged button percher, trimmed with exquisite handmade lily-of-the-valley and silk abaca leaves.
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Lily-of-the valley are harbingers of brighter days ahead. Green is the colour of hope and is connected with the colour of springtime; hope represents the faith that things will improve after a period of difficulty, like the renewal of flowers and plants after the winter season regardless of the virus. Pollution levels are now lower and that can only be a good thing for nature to thrive and improve our immune systems. Maybe there will be things to learn after this crisis enabling us to rethink how we live our lives and how we can protect our natural world. 🌿 I made this very delicate hat for a competition. It didn't win but to me it it will always be a winner. Looking at it makes me happy and emotional. I loved the challenge of making a hat completely by hand. Sewing the wire in to the straw braid and hand sewing the edges took days but it was a really therapeutic project. 🌿 It currently sits under a big glass dome looking very green and positive. I hope it brings you some cheer in these difficult times. 🌿 A big thank you to my beautiful friend Sue @cesuemac for modelling it with such serenity and for Ian my photographer @skellu 🌱🌿🌱🌿 #lilyofthevalley #handmade #flowermaker #silkflowers #millinerymaker #millineryflowers #positivenews @bumble_mag @selvedgemagazine @bloom_the_magazine @hortusjournal #greenforce #healing #beautifulobjects #environment #botanical #naturecure #lookafteryourself #craftmanship #creativelifehappylife #hatalkcompetition

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Happy news from Bhutan on the safe arrival of a new prince on Thursday.
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❀ Announcement ❀ We are honoured to announce the birth of the second Royal Child of Their Majesties The King and Queen, a Prince, on the 19th of March 2020, corresponding with the 25th day of the 1st month of the Male Iron Rat year, in Lingkana Palace, Thimphu. Her Majesty and the royal baby are in good health, and His Royal Highness The Gyalsey was delighted to meet his younger brother. Their Majesties express their gratitude to the medical team, the Zhung Dratshang and to everyone for their well-wishes and prayers. While this remains a very happy occasion for the Royal family and the nation and people of Bhutan, Their Majesties wish to remind all Bhutanese to be mindful, responsible and supportive to each other in the wake of the COVID-19 virus. Their Majesties have everyone whose lives have been affected by this global pandemic in their thoughts and prayers. (Royal photograph taken in February 2020) #RoyalBaby #Bhutan #Prince

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The Belgian princes and princesses sharing waffles with the staff and residents of two nursing homes.
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⁣ ⁣ Solidair met de meest kwetsbaren: huisgemaakte wafels voor de bewoners en zorgpersoneel van twee rusthuizen en telefonische contacten met eenzame bejaarden. Samen sterk tegen Corona!⁣ —————⁣ Solidarité avec les personnes âgées : gaufres faites maison pour les résidents et le personnel soignant de deux maisons de repos et contacts téléphoniques pour soutenir les personnes âgées isolées. Tous ensemble contre le Corona !⁣ —————⁣ Solidarity with the most vulnerable: home-made waffles for the residents and nursing staff of two nursing homes and telephone conversations with lonely elderly people. Strong together against Corona!⁣ ⁣ #Belgianwaffles #waffles #wafels #gaufres #belges #gauffres #ouderen #elderly #personnesâgées #SamenTegenCorona #EnsembleContreCorona #GemeinsamGegenCorona #confinement #TogetherAgainstCorona #Corona #Covid_19 #COVID19BE #CoronaVirus #BelgianRoyalPalace #MonarchieBe

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What are you doing to spread support and encouragement these days?

Photos from social media as indicated

Countess of Wessex’s Commonwealth Day Hats

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The Commonwealth Day service, held every year on the second Monday in March, always brings us a lovely lineup of hats, often the first spring designs we see of the season. After last week’s beautiful service, I thought it might be interesting to look back at retrospectives of hats we’ve seen different members wear. Interestingly, the Countess of Wessex has only attended the service four times:

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Sharply sidesweeping grey slice hat with open weave brim and pale pink feather trim by Jane Taylor in 2012;
Ecru lace covered beret percher with multi looped bow also by Jane Taylor in 2014

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Navy  straw percher with swirling cream and gold feather trim in 2018 and navy felt domed pillbox with dotted veil in 2020, both by Jane Taylor

While all four hats could be described as having neutral palates, they each still make a significant style statement! The large grey hat with pink feathers in 2012 is one I’ve hoped we’d see again- even though the feather placement is a little awkward, it’s such a showstopping design and paired so beautifully with Sophie’s oyster silk coat.

What does this progression of four hats, worn over eight years, tell you about the Countess’ evolution of millinery style?

Photos from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Queen Elizabeth repeated her turquoise fabric covered hat with hourglass crown and black velvet floral trim to attend church yesterday morning at Windsor Castle.
Sweet snap shared by Marie Ducruet on Saturday
With so few royal events happening these days, let’s take a look at some of the non-royal hats at the Cheltenham Festival that caught my eye last week:

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

Spectacular beaded halo bandeau with gravity-defying, cocooning silk abaca by Australian brand Velvet and Tonic
Ice blue wide brimmed hat with origami folded panels by British milliner Bee Smith
Amazing peony headpiece made only of orange and green feathers & quills by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Winter white cloche with embroidered and appliqued black silhouette trim by German milliner Angelika Löbering
Blue straw hat with hand beaded and embroidered lace covered bow by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Charming natural straw saucer with pink gingham binding, butterflies and floral embroidery by NY-based Cigmond Millinery
Gold straw boater with sparkly webbed overlay by Irish millinery Ashleigh Myles
Palest pink crin headpiece with the most delicate large fluted ruffles by British milliner Awon Golding
Pale blue leather percher with blue velvet orchids and net veil by Tasmanian brand Cessia Alice

And two stunners to highlight- the first, a monochrome pyramid with ombre chevron folds and curled black quill by Australian milliner Angie Jackman and the second, an exuberant, vibrant and downright happy headpiece of interlinked sinemay and crin rings by Northern California-based milliner Amy Fowler.


A lovely, very glamorous shot of Flora Ogilvy and her fiance, Timothy Vesterberg, taken a few months ago in Italy
We end the week with some royal helpers- Queen Mathilde with her children, delivering flowers and sweets to an elderly care facility, waving from the outside.
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⁣ ⁣ Huisgemaakte cake en bloemen voor de bewoners van het OCMW Rusthuis Huis Heizel. Hart onder de riem voor de ouderen die momenteel geen bezoek mogen ontvangen en steun aan het verzorgend personeel.⁣ —————⁣ Gâteaux faits maison et fleurs pour les résidents du CPAS Maison Heysel. Courage aux personnes âgées qui ne peuvent recevoir de visiteurs et soutien au personnel soignant. ⁣ —————⁣ Selbstgebackener Kuchen und Blumen für die Bewohner des ÖSHZ Seniorenheims Rusthuis Huis Heizel. Zur Unterstützung der Senioren die momentan keinen Besuch empfangen dürfen und des Pflegepersonals.⁣ —————⁣ Home-made cakes and flowers for the residents of the OCMW nursing home Huis Heizel. Courage for the elderly who cannot receive visitors and support for the nursing staff.⁣ ⁣ #SamenTegenCorona #EnsembleContreCorona #GemeinsamGegenCorona #TogetherAgainstCorona #Covid-19 #COVID19BE #CoronaVirus #Corona #BelgianRoyalPalace #MonarchieBe

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This Week’s Extras

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My sincere thanks, everyone, for continuing the royal hat conversation here over the past month. It was wonderful to step away from the blog and know you would care for it while I was away. Thank you very much. 

You have all done an amazing job sharing all the royal hats that have made an appearance over the past month. Here’s another look at the pair for church this morning at Windsor. Queen Elizabeth repeated her lilac-grey straw hat with handmade blooms by Rachel Trevor Morgan while the Duchess of Sussex wore a headpiece of what looks like black straw and crin petals that I believe is new.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
From UK milliner Vivien Sheriff, a fuchsia beret percher covered in orange lace with beaded applique flower trim
Black & white straw saucer with black lace applique flower trim by French brand Mei Mei France Chapeaux
Fantastic handmade gold wire floral bandeau by Irish milliner Ashleigh Myles
For our dear gents, these dapper and very sleek wool caps by UK brand Marrison Millinery
Wide teal dotted silk bandeau with feather explosion and sequinned bow by Kentucky-based The Mad Duchess
Sleekly elegant ecru straw cuffed teardrop design with pearl trimmed quill by Irish milliner Sheila McCarthy
Olive and ochre felt wide brimmed saucer with slim gold trim and bows from British milliner Sarah Cant
Midnight blue fur felt beret percher with wonderful leather twist trim from Australian milliner Tracy Mackinnon

And from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit, this fantastic cocktail hat with silk satin covered button base trimmed with a mass of blue and black feathers studded with crystals and pearls and the most wonderfully patterned birdcage veil.

Princess Marie Chantal is releasing a book this week

Great message from Princess Esmeralda of Belgium

Sheikh Mohammad attempted to keep the terrifying ways he has treated female members of his family a secret but it came out this week.  This solidifies my support behind Princess Haya and makes me hope there will be further investigation into Sheikha Shamsa and Sheikha Latifa’s current realities. (BBC)
Lovely pair of photos released by the Swedish court in celebration of Prince Oscar’s fourth birthday. A few weeks ago, another pair were released for Princess Estelle’s eighth birthday.


We end this week with the Duke of Cambridge showcasing a hidden talent!

Photos from social media as indicated

Personal Note

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I need to step away from Royal Hats for a few weeks. After making a remarkable recovery from a health crisis and several surgeries, my mother unexpectedly passed away yesterday.  She was incredibly touched by your well wishes for her recovery- after all we hear that is negative on the internet, she was amazed that strangers from around the world took the time to write her a message of encouragement. She was also absolutely delighted with the nickname you gave her- Hat Queen Mother – and would issue me a royal wave whenever she felt particularly regal (daily, it seemed!), citing her new title as justification to do so. This new moniker gave her great joy over the last few weeks and for this, I thank you so very much.

My mom was a talented amateur seamstress and I grew up at the foot of her sewing machine. I can identify fabric types, interesting construction details (and shoddy workmanship!) thanks to her tutelage and while she never commented here, her voice was woven into our conversations simply because it’s ingrained in my own perspective. She checked Royal Hats each morning, gently scolded when there was not a new post (or a feature of a hat she didn’t think warranted one!) and looked forward to Ascot more than anyone. She was my biggest fan and I can’t express how much I will miss her.

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Over the coming days, I’ll post open posts for you to comment on (and share any hats that make an appearance) while I’m away. See you in a few weeks. And thank you.

Photos from Getty as indicated